Marc Ó Sé Calls it a Day

Three of the four Ó Sé brothers, from left: Tomás, Fergal and Marc of An Ghaeltacht at a squad training session at Galluras in 2001. Darragh was in Australia with the Irish team at the time. ©Photograph: John Reidy 20/10/2001

Paidi Ó Sé and Tomás MacGearailt taking more than a passing interest at Galluras on Saturday evening during a squad training session for An Ghaeltacht. ©Photograph: John Reidy 20/10/2001

Feeling the pain: West Kerry full-back, Marc Ó Sé feeling the pain of a challenge during their Garvey’s SuperValu County Senior Football Championship quarter-final game against Kerins O’Rahillys at Austin Stack Park in 2011. ©Photograph: John Reidy 08/10/2011

Going for the double: An Ghaeltacht captain Mici Ó Conchúir (right) pictured with Darragh Ó Sé and the FEXCO County Club Championship Cup which they won in September 2001 by defeating Rathmore in the final. ©Photograph: John Reidy 16/09/2001

After a mountainous service of over a decade and a half to Kerry football at the highest and toughest level, Marc Ó Sé has just announced his retirement from the county team.

The now 36-year-old made the announcement today on Radio Na Gaeltachta in a chat with his former Kerry and An Ghaeltacht team-mate and captain, Dara Ó Cinneide.

Marc Ó Sé made his final appearance in the green and gold shirt of Kerry in the latter stages of the All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin.

Long Serving

While there was a lot of speculation surrounding several of the players in the wake of that devastating defeat to the Dubs, Ó Sé is the first of the long-serving team members to bow out.

Since his debut in 2002 he has won five All-Ireland senior medals and ten Munster championship titles and several National League medals, two All-Star Awards and a Footballer-of-the-Year award from a decade or so ago. For several years during his ‘Kerry campaign’ Marc played alongside his brothers Darragh and Tomás.

Míle Maith Agat.

There has been an Ó Sé family link with top level Kerry football going all the way back to the mid 1970s with the emergence of the inimitable Páidí back then.

I’m sure there would be many a reader who would join me in wishing Marc well in the future and in saying a well earned Go Raibh Míle Maith Agat.

In the meantime take a look at a handful of file photographs of Ó Sé clan members in various poses and some of Marc in particular.

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